Field of the Invention (Technical Field)
There are typically two types of keg dispensers readily available for home use. One, in its simplest form, is a boxed refrigerator with a column setting on top. The “column”, as it is generally referred to within the beer industry, is a cylindrical tube having an outside diameter of approximately four inches and an inside diameter of approximately three inches. The column is normally disposed on top of a refrigerated housing comprising tubing that connects the keg to the spigot. The tubing also limits airflow through the column. A spigot is also attached to the column. Aside from an unsightly appearance, such a configuration also makes it difficult to adequately cool the section of tubing housed within the column. Because beer which is not properly cooled has a tendency to foam excessively when dispensed into a drinking container, such known devices are plagued with chronic foaming. To combat this problem, some high-end residential units utilize a separate blower which forces cool air directly into the column in order to minimize foaming. However, this additional hardware increases the cost of the unit, thereby preventing the average consumer from purchasing it.
The second type of dispenser is a modified refrigerator with the spigot attached directly to the door of the refrigerator. This type is not manufactured. Instead, it is typically sold as a kit to be installed by the purchaser and requires drilling into the front door of a standard residential refrigerator, thereby defacing it and possibly damaging the refrigerator, and likely voiding the manufacturer's warranty. Yet another problem with this known arrangement is that average individuals lack the basic knowledge of how draft works, thus making such piecemeal kit-systems problematic. Still further, another aspect of such an arrangement, viewed by some as unfavorable, is having the spigot and drip tray protrude from the front of the refrigerator door where aside from being unsightly, could prove to be a possible hazard (i.e. snagging of clothing or injury due to bumping with force).
While there may be other arrangements for dispensing kegs, they are typically reserved for commercial use due to the high cost of the equipment, installation and high maintenance associated with running such devices; they are not conducive for use in a residential setting.
Ideally, a keg dispenser should be easy to operate and maintain with little or no issues with product loss due to foam and should be aesthetically pleasing.
Description of Related Art
Note that the following discussion refers to a number of publications by author(s) and year of publication, and that due to recent publication dates certain publications are not to be considered as prior art vis-a-vis the present invention. Discussion of such publications herein is given for more complete background and is not to be construed as an admission that such publications are prior art for patentability determination purposes.
U.S. Pat. No. D 469,787 to Wicker discloses a keg cooler ornamental in design where the dispenser has a cylindrically contoured front to wrap around the keg. The dispenser column, however, is still located on the top outside of the housing thus operating as a typical keg cooler with dispenser column on top of the housing.
U.S. Pat. No. D 352,296 to Westendorf illustrates a keg-shaped keg cooler. Although ornamental, the design serves no utilitarian purpose.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,502,415 to Chiusolo et al. discloses a cooling system requiring the use of water and ice circulated over conduits by agitators to keep beer from foaming. This is arrangement is only useful in an off-grid setting where conventional refrigeration is not available. U.S. Pat. No. 4,225,059 to Kappos, U.S. Pat. No. 3,865,276 to Thompson and U.S. Pat. No. 2,223,152 to Nagin, also describe methods that are useful where typical refrigeration-techniques are not available or not preferred. Both of these systems lack a refrigeration unit, thus making them unsuitable for daily residential or commercial use.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,237,390 to Nelson discloses a portable cooling unit for use during social gatherings. Although the system provides desirable results for events lasting a few days, it is not useful for routine home use, where a keg may last weeks or months before being consumed. This is because Nelson's system fails to cool the entire keg, thus causing the beer to spoil in a short time. This system also lacks the ability to conceal the spigots from the public's view.
Another issue with current keg dispensers is the shear size of the units. For the most part, they are designed to house large ½ barrel kegs, which are typically used in commercial settings. This gives the appearance of a bar or frat house to the location in which they are housed. There are also a growing number of kegs being used to distribute craft or specialty beers. These are known as slim ¼ or slim 5 gallon kegs. These smaller kegs, generally referred to as “slim kegs” are also favored by a growing sect of home brewers. There is currently no known cylindrical dispenser designed specifically for these slim kegs. Another major issue impeding the proliferation of draft dispensers for home use is the lack of outlets for dispensing gases such as CO2, Nitrogen, Beer Gas, etc. is the lack of outlets and the hassle of getting tanks filled is a contributing factor in the decision not purchase draft for home use.
There is thus a present need for an apparatus that dispenses slim kegs, typical ½ barrel kegs and a growing number of smaller kegs ranging from less than 1 gallon up to 15.5 gallons or more while maintaining a compact size. Particularly, an apparatus which is easier to maintain and operate and which ensures proper cooling and thus avoids the foaming issues that are so prolific in known keg dispensers. It also must incorporate more convenient methods to manage multiple gases used to propel and maintain the integrity of the product dispensed. There is further a need for a keg-dispensing apparatus which includes an outer-housing that is shaped to fit within the décor of a home or trendy sports bar.